Chair back construction



Aug. 12,1958 I B. w. HENRIKSON ETAL 2,347,062

CHAIR BACK CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 19, 1957 2 sheets-sheen INVENTORSBrat 7V. Henvihdon Alfred C. H0062: 27'" WITNESS 13 211-1122 E.Naz-dmarb;

ATTORNEY B. w. HENRIK'SON ETAL (2mm BACK CONSTRUCTION Aug. 12, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1957 INVENTORS Ffflnrilza'on, AlfredLZJIozJen v Wall-er E. Nbrdmarb; BY $44M WITNESS ATTORNEY United StatesPatent CHAIR IIACK CONSTRUCTION Bror W. Henrikson, Alfred C. Hoven, andWalter E.

Nordmark, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to American Seating Company,Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 19,1957, Serial No. 678,899

6 Claims. (Cl. 155- 191) The present invention relates to chairs andmore particularly to a chair back construction.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a chair having aframe including upright back supports and a backrest mounted on theupper ends of the back supports in such a way as to be self-adjusting inits angle of tilt t-o fit the chair occupants back in any position; toprovide a chair back having integrally molded plastic backrest, mountingmembers and canopy, and in which the self-adjustment of the backrest isprovided by a slight resilience in the plastic material so as to permitflexing of the backrest relative to the mounting members and backsupports; and in general to provide such a chair back construction whichis eificient and quiet in its intended use, simple and reasonablyeconomical in manufacture, and attractive in appearance.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a chair utilizing the newconstruction;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the upper part of thechair back, with portions broken away;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on line 33 ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on line 44 ofFigure 2;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the same, the backrest beingindicated in several different tilted positions in solid, dotted andbroken lines; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a retaining element utilized in theconstruction.

Referring now in detail to these drawings the chair shown in Figure 1generally comprises a frame including legs 10, cross bars 11 and a pairof back supports 12, and a chair seat 13 and chair back 14. The spaced,upstanding, tubular metal back supports 12 are open at their upper ends.If desired, these back supports 12 may be connected at their upper endsby a cross brace 15 as seen in Figure 2, but since this is optional thecross brace has been omitted in Figures 3, 4 and 5.

The chair back 14 comprises a backrest 16 of concave form, a pair ofdepending tubular members 17 extending rearwardly from the backrest andthen downwardly, and a canopy 18 extending rearwardly and downwardlyfrom the backrest and enclosing the depending tubular members 17. A pairof retaining elements 19, one of which is seen per se in Figure 6, eachhas a pronged upper retainer washer 20 and a larger pronged lowerretainer washer 21.

The chair back 14 is assembled to the tubular back supports 12 by firstpressing the upper ends of the retaining elements 19 into the lower endsof the depending tubular members 17 of the chair back 14 so that theupper washers 20 grip the internal walls of the members 17, and thenfitting the members 17 into the open upper ends of the tubular backsupports 12 so that the lower retainer washers 21 grip the internalwalls of the back supports.

The backrest 16, depending members 17 and canopy 18, which togetherconstitute the chair 14, are all integrally molded of a slightlyresilient plastic material which permits flexing of the backrest 16relative to the members 17 and the back supports 12, as indicated inFigure 5. The backrest 16 is thus self-adjusting as to tilt so as toaccommodate itself to the form and position of the chair occupantresulting in better posture and greater comfort for the occupant.

The invention provides a simple and relatively inexpensiveself-adjusting chair back which is free of the more conventionalmechanical pivots, which is quickly and easily assembled to the chair,and which is quiet and effective in use. While but one specificembodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described it willbe understood that numerous details may be altered or omitted withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined by the followingclaims.

We claim:

1. In a chair structure: a frame including an upstanding back support;and a chair back comprising a backrest and a member extending rearwardlyfrom the backrest and connected to the upper end of said back support,said chair back being integrally molded of slightly resilient materialso as to permit flexing of the backrest relative to said member and saidback support.

2. In a chair structure: a frame including an upstanding back support;and a chair back comprising a backrest and a depending member extendingrearwardly from the backrest and then downwardly and connected to theupper end of said back support, said chair back being integrally moldedof slightly resilient material so as to permit flexing of the backrestrelative to said depending member and said back support.

3. In a chair structure: a frame including a pair of spaced upstandingback supports; and a chair back comprising a backrest and a pair ofdepending members extending rearwardly from the backrest and thendownwardly and connected to the upper ends of said back supports, saidchair back being integrally molded of slightly resilient material so asto permit flexing of the backrest relative to said depending members andsaid back supports.

4. A chair structure according to claim 3 in which the chair backincludes .an integrally molded canopy'extending rearwardly anddownwardly from the backrest and enclosing said depending members andthe upper ends of said back supports.

5. In a chair structure: a frame including .a pair of spaced upstandingtubular metal back supports open at their upper ends; and a chair backcomprising a backrest and a pair of depending members extendingrearwardly from the backrest and then downwardly and fitted into theopen upper ends of said back supports, said chair back being integrallymolded of slightly resilient material so as to permit flexing of thebackrest relative to said depending members and said back supports.

6. A chair structure according to claim 5 in which the chair backincludes an integrally molded canopy extending rearwardly and downwardlyfrom the backrest and enclosing the depending members and the upper endsof said back supports.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,567,695 Angell Dec. 29, 1925 2,538,634 Vogelsang Jan. 16, 19512,577,050 Van Buren Dec. 4, 1951 2,670,226 Becker Feb. 23, 19542,812,800 Eames Nov. 12, 1957

